News Japanese privacy watchdog warns ChatGPT-maker OpenAI

[thomas]

The Japanese Personal Information Protection Commission (個人情報保護委員会) warned OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed startup behind the ChatGPT chatbot, not to collect sensitive data without people's permission. OpenAI should minimize the sensitive data it collects for machine learning, adding the commission may take further action if it has more concerns.

While Japan has been on the back foot with some recent technology trends, it is seen as having a greater incentive to keep pace with advances in AI and robotics to maintain productivity as its population shrinks. The watchdog noted the need to balance privacy concerns with the potential benefits of generative AI, including in accelerating innovation and dealing with problems such as climate change. Japan is the third-largest source of traffic to OpenAI's website, according to analytics firm Similarweb. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in April met Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with an eye to expansion in Japan ahead of the Group of Seven summit, where Kishida led a discussion on regulating AI.

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Japan privacy watchdog warns ChatGPT maker OpenAI on user data

Regulator notes need to balance privacy with potential benefits of generative AI

asia.nikkei.com

Japan privacy watchdog warns ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on user data